| bitter cold temperatures experienced during winter can present a challenge. During the winter months rabbit producers face a dilemma – rabbits need to be producing more rabbits as often as possible, but it sure can get cold from time to time and those freezing temperatures can result in “bunny-sicles” (frozen bunnies). Coping with the challenges winter presents in rabbit production requires awareness as well as creativity and the ability to adapt and improvise.
In our farming operation my wife takes care of the research and creativity, then I adapt and improvise. The first year of rabbit production has presented some interesting challenges.
There are several ways to deal with surviving the winter months, and large-scale producers will cope with the situation differently than small-scale producers. Large-scale producers probably have a building that is partially or completely enclosed, an inside source of water, and hopefully, the ability to provide some sort of supplemental heating. Otherwise, they face the same challenges as small-scale producers. A partially or completely enclosed building will protect both young and adult rabbits from wind, cold temperatures, and precipitation. An inside watering system that is insulated will decrease the likelihood of water lines freezing and possibly bursting. While individual water bottles are an option for small-scale producers, this option is cost prohibitive for large-scale producers. Supplemental heating can be expensive, but it minimizes the opportunity for frozen water lines as well as frozen baby bunnies. Adult and “junior” (those around weaning age) rabbits should have the ability to maintain an adequate body temperature during colder temperatures. Management options will vary from farm to farm.
If the barn or building used to house your rabbits is not enclosed, then you might want to develop and apply a seasonal solution. Securing tarps, plywood, or sheets of thick plastic will minimize the amount of wind and rain coming into the building. As spring approaches the temporary siding can be removed to allow for adequate airflow. While adult rabbits are generally able to survive freezing temperatures, babies and young rabbits need protection. In colder climates some rabbit producers will place tarps directly over the rabbit cages to help hold in warmth generated from rabbits and the manure beneath the cages.
Make sure to have a nest box inside the cage of a pregnant doe at least a day or two before she is due to kindle (give birth). Make sure that nest box has plenty of wood shavings in it. Check on pregnant does at least once a day if they are due to kindle soon; they should begin to pull fur from their neck and stomach just before they give birth. You don’t want them to give birth on the wire; the babies will die from exposure. Place the babies in the nest box if necessary. If the doe is giving birth (inside or outside the nest box) but has not lined the nest box, you may want to throw some dryer lint and extra hay in the box, which will help insulate the babies.
After the babies are born, make sure the doe jumps in the box and allows the kits (baby rabbits) to nurse. A doe will feed her young once or twice a day, generally about dawn or/and dusk. Knowing this will allow you to bring the kits in during the day after the young have nursed from their mother, then take them back to the mother for an evening meal. If it will become too cold to leave the babies outside during the night, then bring them in till morning and start all over again. By too cold (whether day or night) I am referring to temperatures that may hover near freezing or below.
If you have my kind of luck (accidentally leaving the cage door open and mama rabbit escapes) you will experience orphan bunnies from time to time. If they are only a few days old they will need to be fed milk replacer (unless you know how to milk a rabbit). A good formula is a mixture of one gallon of milk (remove about two cups), add one cup of buttermilk, and one can of evaporated milk. This formula also works for baby goats. An eyedropper may be used for feeding very young bunnies; as they get older, a small version of a baby bottle will work.
As bunnies approach about three weeks, they become curious and will sample rabbit food or hay if made available. About that same time they will need access to water or water that has been flavored to give it taste appeal; something my wife learned about was Snapple Tea with fruit flavor. Apparently the scent of something sweet attracted the rabbits and they began to drink from what would normally be a water bottle hung on the side of a rabbit cage, and eventually switched to water. Now granted, those same bunnies still ask for Snapple, but I ignore their request.
While most of the suggestions in this article will not work for large-scale rabbit farms, it can be utilized for small operations. I’m sure other rabbit producers have tales (excuse the pun) about what has worked for them.
The first year of raising rabbits reminds me of my first year of college. I thought that many of those classes would never end and I was never going to survive my first year. However, now that I look back I seemed to have done okay, and what did not kill me made me stronger? |
